Location: Bronx, NY | Status: Active
Summary: Save the Sound engaged throughout several environmental review and public comment processes to oppose the construction of Bally’s Casino on New York City public parkland along the upper East River in the Bronx. Bally’s plan puts Bronx communities and the ecological health of the Sound at risk by failing to adequately address stormwater management, the impacts of removing at least 15 acres of land from NYC’s public park system, air pollution from increased traffic, and other issues.
In Spring 2024 the Bally’s Corporation introduced a proposal to construct a more than 3 million square foot casino complex within Ferry Point Park, an NYC public park on the East River in the Bronx. Bally’s currently operates a golf course on a portion of the proposed project site under a license from the city that was once held by the Trump Organization but was sold to Bally’s in 2023. The proposal would require the removal of at least 15 acres of rare waterfront NYC parkland from public hands for Bally’s private benefit and the construction of a hotel, restaurants, retail space, a new, larger golf clubhouse to replace the one currently on site, parking structures, an events center, and a police substation, in addition to the gaming facilities. The proposal was part of a competitive bidding process for up to three gaming licenses to be granted by the end of 2025 for gaming facilities located in downstate New York. In December 2025 Bally’s and two casinos in Queens were awarded the three licenses.
Save the Sound opposes the Bally’s Casino proposal for several reasons: (1) it would add large areas of impervious surfaces to Ferry Point Park, increasing pollutant-bearing stormwater runoff into the Upper East River and Westchester Creek—both of which are impaired waterbodies—, and likely contributing to flooding in the rest of the park and surrounding neighborhoods; (2) the project requires the removal of at least 15 acres of invaluable waterfront parkland from Ferry Point Park, which would reduce public access to much-needed green space, especially in the Bronx; (3) we are concerned about the amount of wastewater generated by a project of this size and how it might impact existing wastewater infrastructure; and (4) increased traffic from casino patrons would likely diminish air quality in surrounding neighborhoods, including state-designated disadvantaged communities. Save the Sound raised these and other concerns repeatedly throughout both the NYC Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) and the City Environmental Quality Review (CEQR). But Bally’s has failed to assuage our concerns, dismissing them without adequate justification or offering only vague mitigation measures that they have not demonstrated would be feasible or effective.
In June 2025, Save the Sound submitted comments on the Final Environmental Impact Statement for Bally’s Casino. New York City Council soon thereafter disapproved Bally’s application for land use changes necessary to allow construction of the casino on city parkland, but Mayor Eric Adams vetoed that disapproval and City Council declined to call a vote to override the veto.
In September 2025 two hearings were held by a Community Advisory Committee (CAC) convened by the Gaming Commission to gauge community support for the proposal. Save the Sound provided testimony explaining our continued concerns. On September 29, 2025 the CAC voted 5-1 to approve the project despite a majority of public participants in the CAC hearing process being opposed. In December 2025 the Gaming Facility Location Board approved the proposal and the Gaming Commission granted the license to Bally’s. The Queens Future Casino, which is located on Flushing Bay and therefore also threatens harm to the Sound and surrounding communities, also received a license.
Next Step: Bally’s will need to acquire several permits and approvals before beginning construction. Save the Sound is continuing to track this project and evaluate next steps.
Action opportunities:
Page last updated: January 16, 2026